How To Have A Romantic Weekend Not Too Far From Home

This is the time of year when many couples jump on a plane and fly to someplace warm and exotic, but not everyone can do that for many reasons such as financial, work, family obligations, etc.  But with a little clever planning, you can enjoy your own winter getaway without going too far from home or for too long of a time.

I have lived in the same area for over thirty years and every time I think I have seen it all, I discover something new that I never knew was there!  My husband found out about Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center  from a magazine put out by our electrical cooperative.  But I have also discovered new places to visit by just following Facebook pages and local event calendars.  Once you start searching for events on FB your algorithm will know what you're interested in and starting flooding your feed with places and events to follow and visit.  That is how I discovered the Eagle River Cranberry Festival.

Unlike a lot of couples who say "We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day" (party poopers you all are)  my husband and I LOVE Valentine's Day.  It is one of our most favorite holidays of the year and we take the time  to plan something together.  It could be as simple as dinner and a movie or a weekend getaway.  This year we decided to do a weekend getaway as there has been a lot of stress in our lives lately and thought a relaxing weekend away would be a great stress reliever.  When hubby discovered that Norskedalen was doing a Candlelight Hike we thought that sounded absolutely perfect.

The drive to Norskedalen was beautiful, but absolutely terrifying to drive in the winter.  It's located in a valley, but GPS took us up some high hills and death-defying curves on snow drift covered rural roads.  All I kept thinking was "How in the World are we gonna get out of here in the dark?"  Thankfully, I talked to two locals at the site once we arrived, and they instructed us a much safer way to get home.  GPS can be a wonderful tool, but sometimes they take you on a much more dangerous route just to get you there quicker.

Norskedalen is a nature and heritage center dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the natural environment and heritage of the area surrounding Coon Valley in Southwest Wisconsin.  I don't want to share too much about the place now because we plan to go back in the summer to tour the old homestead and hike their trails, so I will do another post then.  Today's post will focus on the Candlelight Hike.

The Candlelight Hike took place on the Troll Trail and the Ophus Farm Trail so we got to see the outside of all the farm buildings and houses plus a bit of the landscape.

They did a very nice job lighting the trail up so it was impossible to get lost in the dark.  This was our second candlelight hike my husband and I went on.  I absolutely love them.  They are so romantic.  There is nothing more peaceful and beautiful than walking in the woods on a cold winter night with someone you love. 

The old farmhouse looked so pretty all lit up.

There was quite a bit of snow on the ground which made hiking difficult at times, but I had my poles with me to help.  Lots of people had snowshoes, but we don't own any.

They had some fun large fires burning for extra ambiance and warmth.

After our hike, we went back to our hotel for the evening.  The people that I met that evening were right:  the route they recommended was not hilly or scary at all.

We stayed at The Luxury Charmont Hotel in La Crosse.  Normally, this hotel would be in an uncomfortable price range for me, but in the winter you can often find great hotel deals on places that are usually very pricey.  

Fun fact:  In 2024 and 2025 the hotel earned a prestige Michelin Key for exceptional, high-quality, and unique guest experience.

The hotel used to be an old chocolate factory.  In fact, they give you two free chocolates when you check in and they were the best chocolates I ever had in my life.  The hotel still has all it's original floors and brick walls.

We absolutely LOVED our room!  It was so romantic!  My favorite spaces are always when they blend the new with the old;  a mix of modern and antiques.  

The bathroom was to die for!  I've never stayed in a place where there double sinks before and just look at the size of that shower! You could fit a family of six in that shower! 😄

The attention to detail in the room was spectacular.  I loved the old beams, the hardware, and all the electrical fixtures.

In addition to two free chocolates, you also get free valet service, a ten dollar token good at the bar, restaurant, or coffee shop, and two tokens for two free coffees at the coffee bar.  I really appreciated all the freebies and thought the tokens were a great idea because they encourage guests to eat at the hotel instead of going elsewhere.  

We chose to use our ten dollar token and eat breakfast at the hotel.  The restaurant was gorgeous with beautiful views of the Mississippi River.  We had so much fun looking out the restaurants large windows and watching all the eagles hunt for breakfast.

Whenever I eat out, I like to order something I usually wouldn't make for myself at home.  I decided to try Stuffed French Toast and it did not disappoint.  The restaurant is farm-to-table style so their brioche was homemade and stuffed with cream cheese served with Amish maple syrup.  The fruit topping is always seasonal and on the day I was there it was Pomegranate.  It was so delicious, but very sweet and rich for me so I was unable to finish it.  Hubby finished it for me and he said it tasted like cheesecake 😀.

After breakfast I used my coffee token to get a second coffee to take on the road.  

The coffee shop was so beautiful.  I loved the big arched windows.

 It was a wonderful weekend and we came home so happy and relaxed.  It is so important to take the time regularly to reconnect with your loved ones.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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For more ideas on Candlelight Hikes see this post:

A Candlelight Walk in Interstate Park